Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-06-21
A NATIONAL STRAW.

just now in more suggestive movements
than the colored straw. This straw is
being upheld and borne along by Dem
ocratic breeze. Before a strong and
benefcient Democratic impetus the
colored straw is moving steadily on to
take its important and appointed place in
the great sheaf of National unity.
Evidences of this abound The colored
editor Of the San Francisco Elevatoy| thus
voices his colored readers: V
Now, should the Democratic National
convention nomination him (Cleveland) for
President its triumph is assured. The
| color line is broken wherever intelligence
prevails amongst the members of the
colored race. They have been duped by a
political tyranny which they are determined
to shake off.
The coiored people "have been duped
by political tyranny which they are de-
termined to shake off," says this ex-
ponent OF the colored sentiment of the
Pacific Slope.
And truly has the connection OF the Re-
publican party with the colored people
been that of political tyranny. Not only on
the Pacific Slope has this political ty-
ranny obtained. The oppression has
been, and still is, national. Wherever
Republicanism has fastened on the
colored vote, it has proved yoke most
CALLING and tyrannical. The colored peo-
have been made the political hewers Of
of wood and drawers of water for the Re-
publican party. The only privilege OF
the colored Republican has been to vote
for his white political brothers.
His duty has been to obey. He has
been made the political slave. As he
once wore the chains of physical slavery,
SO there has now been imposed the gives
OF party servitude. His condition has
been made far more deplorable than it
was in the ante betlun days. The South
ern STAKEHOLDER constrained the body.
The political STAKEHOLDER constrains the
mind. This mental slavery is aggravated
by the advance of the colored man in in
telligence-by the prompt and efficient
advantage he has taken of educational
facilities. The Southern STAKEHOLDER
dealt with a race of only physical deyelop-
ment. The Republican STAKEHOLDER op-
presses a race Intellectually strong.
~ The treatment of the colored race by
the Republican party is one of
the signs of the decadence of
that party. 1t is an evidence Of
Republican blindness - the blindness
which prevents the party from seeing the
many fatal pitfalls in the broad path of
destruction upon which it has entered.
The Republican party has failed to ap-
preciate the colored power. Wantonly
cruel, it has trampled upon colored
rights. Blindly arrogant it has grossly
insulted colored intelligence. 1t has
sowned the seed. 1t is now reaping the
harvest. The colored race has revolted.
The colored vote is aleniated forever
from the Republican party. The colored
man is no longer Republican.
Emancipating himself from the shackles
of party sertitude, the colored citizen Of
the United States has become citizen
indeed. He is of the people at last He
claims his share of popular rights. He
demands that colored capacity and COL
ored intelligence shall be recognized. He
sees broad and open before him the path
leading to such recognition-the path
which leads the deserving to fame and
honor, irrespective of race or color-and
he has become Democrat.
1t was but the other day that the Right
Rev. T. w. Hood, Bishop of the African
Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in
America, publicly declared "that God had
a purpose to serve in the election of
Cleveland, as he had in Joseph's going
into Egypt"
The Right Rev. Bishops expression is
a good one. 1t is pertinent, opportune,
and to the point. Democratic principles
are the salvation of the colored man.
The Democratic party is the Providence
of the colored race.